Serious Fun
by Esther-Channah
Summary: A poem in renku format. Damian wasn't about to make a fool of himself, until he found out who was going to be watching. Genfic... er... genpoem.


Disclaimer: Dick Grayson and Damian al Ghul-Wayne are the property of DC comics.

Note: This poem is written renku-style. There are two speakers. One speaks in haiku (three lines. The first has five syllables, the second seven, and the third five). The other in renku (two lines of seven syllables each.)

**Serious Fun**

I'm sure that father

Would never permit such misuse

Of his training. And...

_Stop whining and get into_

_The costume. Wig and shoes too._

Do you expect the

Joker to appear? Is that

Why we're dressed as clowns?

_No. For the tenth time, we are_

_Going to the hospital-_

To entertain the

Patients. Yes. Brilliant cover.

What's the true reason?

_We're cheering the patients. I_

_Wish we could go more often_

Really, Grayson, I

Don't understand why you feel

A need to crack jokes

_Look in my eyes, Damian._

_Do I look like I'm joking?_

Frankly, no. I find

That even more worrisome. It's

Starro, isn't it?

_What? No, this is something_

_I want to do. Something fun._

Well, of course, if you

Were in Starro's thrall, then you would

Deny your status

_Damian, Starro hasn't_

_Taken me over. Get changed._

What in...? You expect

Me to don a red nose? And

Carry a bike horn?

_Do a good enough job and_

_Next time you get the seltzer._

When father hears that

You forced me to take part in

This stupidity-

_Who do you think it was who_

_Talked me into bringing you?_

Talked you into... You

You're lying! Father would not...

He would never do...

_It was his idea. He agrees_

_With me. You're way too intense-_

I model myself

On him! Are you saying that

He wishes me to be-

_More like me? No. More like you?_

_Yes. But you have no clue how._

You're joking again,

Aren't you? I can tell by the

Way you make no sense.

_Sorry, Damian. This time,_

_I'm not pulling on your leg_

Then explain yourself.

I don't know how to be me?

How preposterous!

_C'mon. You were trained to be the_

_Perfect little soldier but-_

You make it sound as

Though that's undesirable

When that training has-

_Damian? Do you even know_

_How to have fun? Do you... play?_

Play? Play is for small

Children. Not for warriors

Nor vigilantes

_And when the vigilante_

_Is ten? What happens then, huh?_

Age does not factor.

Play is a luxury that

I can ill afford.

_Who are you parroting? Sheesh._

_Do you really believe that?_

Mother. And of course,

I believe her. Just look at

How father acts! He-

_Plays golf. And until very_

_Recently, played the fop, too._

Golf is a fine way

To build coordination

I hardly think that-

_So's juggling. The only real_

_Difference is the audience_

It's different enough.

Wait. Those balls. Surely you don't

Mean me to juggle...?

_Here, catch. Okay. Pick them up_

_Before they roll everywhere_

You caught me off guard.

I did not expect that you would

Dare to presume that-

_Then, lesson one is, 'expect_

_The unexpected.' Learn it._

I thought you meant this

To be 'fun'. But I hate the

Entire notion

_If you've never tried it, then_

_How do you know you hate it?_

How do I know that I

Hate playing a juggling clown?

Call it intellect.

_I'll call it fear. You're afraid_

_You might really enjoy it._

How dare you? I am

Wayne and al-Ghul. I know

No fear. And I won't-

_Good. Then put your nose on and_

_I'll help you with the make-up._

Make-up? Now you go

Too far. I will wear the wig,

The shoes and... costume

_And the make-up. It's part of_

_The act. An important part._

The costume. I will even

Squeak that ridiculous horn

But I draw the line-

_So, you do want them to know_

_It's you, then? Guess you ARE brave_

Oh, very well. Paint

Me, if it makes you happy.

But father will hear-

_Absolutely. And see. He'll_

_Be in the audience, too._

Father? At the show?

But... but we haven't rehearsed.

Grayson, we will fail-

_Hey, calm down. You'll be fine. And_

_I've spent a lifetime onstage._

I haven't! Why did

You not tell me he would be

There? I'd have agreed-

_So, get dressed, already. Show's_

_Four hours away. We have time._

But I've never... I

Can't... This will be an utter

Disaster. And when...

_You really don't want to let him_

_Down, do you? Trust me. You won't._

It won't be perfect.

And everyone will laugh. I

Will disgrace his name

_Well, of course they'll laugh. We're clowns._

_Our JOB is to make them laugh._

Father too? I've not

Seen him laugh. Not ever. Does

He truly know how?

_Oh, yes. Matter of fact, I'll share_

_A secret. He learned from me._

You lie! He must have

Known how earlier. But... I've

Not seen it. Ever.

_This afternoon, Damian,_

_You will. Ready to rehearse?_

I suppose. It's basic

Acrobatics. But in these

Shoes... I guess it could

_Look funny? You bet. Don't kid_

_Yourself. This takes skill. Of course..._

As an al-Ghul,

I have that in abundance.

And, I suppose you...

_Yup. Me, too. We'll knock their socks_

_Off. Especially Bruce's._

You'd better be right

Grayson. Because if I let him

Down, he will never-

_First: you won't let him down. And_

_Second: yes he will. Trust me._

You don't even know

What I was about to say.

How are you so sure?

_I know Bruce. I know you won't_

_Let him down. So, it's moot._

Very well. So. I... toot

This horn. And tumble. And then...

The spectators laugh?

_Well, there's a little more to it._

_Let's start now, and I'll show you._

You know, Grayson, you

Aren't as insufferable

As I once thought you.

_Funny. I was just thinking_

_The same about you, Damian!_


End file.
